1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to mixing machines and, more particularly, to a mixing machine which can continuously supply material at a constant supply rate into a container using a material introducing unit removably coupled to a cover, and which can easily control a discharge rate of mixed and pulverized food using a discharge unit coupled to a predetermined portion of the container, whereby the operation of pulverizing food can be continuously conducted, and the pulverizing efficiency can be markedly enhanced.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, electric mixing machines are electric appliances in which blades are rotated by electric motors to mix or pulverize a variety of foods and drinks (hereinafter referred to as food). Such mixing machines can pulverize food, for example, mainly fruits, vegetables, etc., by rotating blades at high speed using rotational force of motors, thus producing juice, or can mix pulverized fruits with another type of food, thus creating food with a new taste. Furthermore, the mixing machines may be used to mince garlic, pepper or the like, thus avoiding the inconveniences of manually mincing these. Hereinafter, for the sake of explanation, the mincing, juicing, mixing, and so on of food using the blade of a mixing machine will be referred to as ‘pulverizing’.
As shown in FIG. 1, a typical mixing machine includes a main body 1 in which a motor M is installed, a container 2 in which a pulverizing blade 3 is installed, and a cover 3 which is removably coupled to the container 2 to cover the container 2.
Furthermore, an inlet hole 41 which communicates with the interior of the container 2 is formed through a central portion of the cover 3. A discharge port 21 is provided on a lower portion of the sidewall of the container 2.
In this mixing machine, when the pulverizing operation is being conducted, material is continuously supplied into the container 2 through the inlet hole 41. The material supplied into the container 2 is pulverized by the pulverizing blade 3. Remnants remain inside the filter net 22, and pulverized food which has passed through the filter net 22 is discharged out of the mixing machine through the discharge port 21.
Typically, while mixing machines pulverize food, if the amount of material supplied into the container is relatively small or excessive, the efficiency of pulverizing may deteriorate. In particular, in the case of food, such as soaked grains, bean curd, etc., containing water or fibroid material, if an excessive amount of material is supplied into the container, it may not be pulverized to a satisfactory degree even after a predetermined passage of time. Thus, pieces of food which are not completely pulverized may be discharged through the discharge port.
Furthermore, in the conventional technique, the inlet hole 41 is defined by a vertical cylindrical pipe structure. Therefore, material is directly supplied into the container 2 through such inlet hole 41. This causes material to be excessively supplied into the container 2, thus further deteriorating the pulverizing efficiency. To avoid such problems, the user should check the interior of the container and control the amount of material input into the container through the inlet hole 41. However, this inconveniences the user. In addition, if the user cannot satisfy the pulverization conditions of the product discharged from the discharge port 21 after checking it himself/herself, the product may have to be pulverized again, thus inconveniencing the user.
As such, in the conventional mixing machine having the inlet hole 41 that enables the user to continuously supply material into the container, the inlet hole 41 causes material to be excessively supplied, resulting in deterioration of the pulverizing efficiency. The pulverization conditions of the product discharged from the discharge port 21 were also unsatisfactory.
Meanwhile, in the conventional mixing machine, when a stopper of the discharge port is open to discharge pulverized food while the pulverizing operation is being conducted in the container, a comparatively large piece of food which is not completely pulverized may be undesirably discharged out of the container, thus deteriorating the pulverizing efficiency.
In an effort to prevent a large piece of food which is not completely pulverized from being discharged from the discharge port, a technique in which a separate screen net is provided inside the discharge port of the container has been proposed. However, in this case where the discharge port is provided with the screen net, after a long period of time has passed, pieces of food get stuck to the screen net, thus impeding discharge of food, and forcing the user to periodically wash the screen net.
Furthermore, because opening or closing the stopper coupled to the discharge port is a manual operation, the rate at which food is discharged from the discharge port cannot be controlled. Thus, an excessive amount of food may be undesirably discharged, thus messing up the surroundings of the mixing machine.
In addition, in the conventional mixing machine, the discharge port is openably closed by the stopper. The stopper is manually open to discharge food, and is also manually closed to prevent impurities from entering the container when the mixing machine is not in use. However, it is very inconvenient to open or close the stopper, and every time the stopper is manually manipulated to open or close the discharge port through which food is discharged, impurities or bacilli which have been on the hands of the user may enter the discharge port or food, and thus is unsanitary.
Because of such reasons, despite the intended purpose of the discharge port which is to enhance the operation efficiency in such a way as to discharge pulverized food while food is being pulverized, the user typically does not open the stopper until the operation of pulverizing food input into the container has completely finished.